Things to do in DC this summer: Get art smart!

Currently planning my summer entertainment, learning and adventuring with a ten and a twelve-year-old in tow, I set out to research Contemporary Art Galleries and museums in Washington, DC that we might like to wander through.

After years of field trips and family jaunts, we have seen all the ‘hot spots’ and major DC sites multiple times and could likely take turns as docents, particularly of the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. My goal this summer is to see what we haven’t and to introduce my two young summer students to more of the expansive world of art.

When we left DC to live in Europe for three years, I thought: “Wait! We didn’t get to see all that we needed to see!”

But then we were fortunate  to spend many afternoons walking miles around Italian cities like Naples, Rome, Florence, and Assisi. We were blessed to trot around Munich, Dublin, Edinburgh, London and Paris and saw some of the most famous paintings and sculptures in the world.

Now that we have been back for two years, I’m ashamed to admit we have seen far less of our capitol city. What I found through my research could easily take a lifetime of summers to cover so we have some catching up to do.

Better to take this project on one museum or gallery at a time.

Fourteenth street seemed like a good place to begin. A cluster of galleries appear on the map search like grapes on the vine. What I found was fourteenth street is a lively rue of galleries, wine bars, coffee houses and shopping all in one neat place. A spot to travel in the evening with an adult companion, like my husband, not with my two young art enthusiasts.

Numerous searches brought me round again and again to the Corcoran Gallery of Art on 500 Seventeenth Street NW. I am encouraged to see that they offer camp activities for the young ones as well as adult classes. Who knows, maybe there is an artist in me yet. This museum has shot to the top of my to do list. http://www.corcoran.org/youth-family and right now is featuring “emerging” artists. What fun!

Another for my short list is The Hirshhorn Museum on the National Mall http://www.hirshhorn.si.edu/collection/home/#collection=home. The website alone brought out the curious kid in me with glimpses of the sculpture garden and the tease of moving image art.

Well gang that’s as far out as I can plan for now. I will let you know what we discover. Good night, pleasant dreams and may they always be in color, unless your prefer black and white!

Thanks for reading!